BACK! TAPAS BAR & RESTAURANT Michelin Plate IIO David Olivas and Fabián Villar, chef and sommelier, respectively, are the creators of Back! A colourful and modern restaurant, with a focus on traditional and updated Andalucían cuisine. Although it states it’s a tapas bar and restaurant, it is probably more of a restaurant. The menu caters for tapas, sharing plates, set menus and new inventive culinary creations. On this occasion, we had the Menu, Grand Back 2020 (9 steps f

RESTAURANTE ES VENTALL Michelin Plate IIO A return to Sant Antoni during the Covid-hit summer of 2020 saw us return to one of our favourite restaurants in town. On this balmy July evening, everyone was sitting in the garden area as we tucked into the following, Croquetas de gambas (prawn croquettes) Atún tartar (tuna tartar) Hummus Berenjena tempura (aubergine tempura) Costilla cerdo (de-boned pork ribs) Paletilla de Cordero (10 hours, slow-cooked, shoulder of lamb)

RESTAURANTE CA’S MILÁ Michelin Plate IIO This stunning restaurant is high up and overlooks the great beach of Cala Tarida. It has a fabulous terrace area facing the sea in the sunshine. The restaurant opened in 1987, and today, it is run by the second generation of the Milà family. We had, Tartar de atún rojo con aguacate (red tuna tartar with avocado) Carpaccio de carabinero (thinly sliced carabinero prawn) Ensalada curada de pato y mango (cured duck and mango salad) En

APONIENTE Two Michelin Stars Chef de Mar, led by Ángel León Gonzales, has earned its third Michelin star in its newly relocated ultra-modern restaurant. The restaurant is situated in a converted 18th-century flour mill that overlooks the estuary and appropriately faces the sea, right on the banks of the Guadalete River. Originally reviewed in 2015, the restaurant has since moved to new premises and now boasts three Michelin stars. The previous location has been transformed

A few days in Málaga after COVID-19 lockdown easing. After ten plus weeks in lockdown, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the prospect of a...

CAN SALINAS MANUEL EL REY DE LA FIDEUÀ Excellent Valencian-style paella and fideuà are served at this family-run restaurant away from the busy summer crowds of Ibiza on the way to ses Salinas beach and its famous chiringuitos like Sa Trinxa and Jockey Club. Start with the local pan y aioli. Fideuà is a dialectal pronunciation of the Valencian or Catalan word fideuada (which means a large number of noodles). It is a seafood dish originally from the coast of Valencia, similar t

A FEW DAYS IN PLASENCIA - CÁCERES Our initial reason for going on this trip was to see the almond blossoms, but unfortunately, we were a little too early, so we spent our time in and around the town. Plasencia, a walled market city in the province of Cáceres in Extremadura, has a population of around 40,000. Situated on the banks of the Jerte River, Plasencia has a historic quarter, a result of the city's strategic location along the Silver Route (Ruta de la Plata), which gua

LA COSMOPOLITA MALAGUEÑA Michelin Plate IIO Permanently Closed The restaurant closed in October 2025 after 15 years of operation. Chef Dani Carnero announced the closure himself, explaining that the project had “completed its cycle” and its era had come to an end. This place is a great little spot just off the calle Granada in the centre of Málaga’s old town. The decor is immaculate, with a traditional twist. You can have tapas at the bar or sit in the main restaura

RESTAURANTE KAIA-KAIPE Michelin Plate IIO In December 2019, we returned to the fishing port of Getaria and the excellent Restaurante Kaia-Kaipe. Getaria is the typical picture postcard Basque Country fishing village. The village was home to Plácido Domingo’s mother and the famous fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga. You can now visit the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa (€7 entry fee) Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa It was also home to the explorer, navigator, and mariner Juan

CANTO We came to Canto, a recent creation of Simon Shaw, of El Gato Negro Tapas fame, on an unusually sunny Sunday Lunchtime In Manchester, for a meal before going to the football at Old Trafford later that day. You will find this younger sibling of Simon’s in the heart of Manchester’s latest to be redeveloped neighbourhood, Ancoats, on Cutting Room Square. It is quite a stunning, ample space with blue Portuguese tiles that reminded me of a recent visit to Braga. They use th